


amplified

by mirrordance



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M, lots of vanilla love, where kuroko sees kagami and draws him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-07
Updated: 2014-02-07
Packaged: 2018-01-11 11:03:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1172277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirrordance/pseuds/mirrordance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he shoots a basket and shouts out in happiness afterward, Kuroko finds his smile – and Kagami himself – absolutely deafening.</p>
            </blockquote>





	amplified

Kuroko likes a few things.

Most days, he likes to watch the sunset while walking from his university, the sun filtered between tall buildings. He is fond of listening to movie soundtracks after watching the corresponding films. He likes cooking traditional Japanese cuisine for his family.

He also loves reading. He likes the smell of books when he turns the pages over in his hands. He finds a kind of comfort in the way he moves his fingers over warm spines before opening them. Sometimes, during late nights when he can't sleep, he's started drawing. He hasn't drawn anything too serious because he's doesn't think he's particularly fantastic at it. He started mostly to draw out characters from his favorite novels.

After class one day, he walks back home with his weekly groceries in tow and hears laughter and the dribble of a ball. He follows the sound and finds a few playing basketball. He admires the way they move with such fluidity – as if the sport was built into their very bones.

He spots someone out of the bunch that his gaze lingers on longer than the others. He has red hair that almost glows in the late afternoon light and his laugh booms over everyone else's. Kuroko stills at the sound because he's just so _loud_. He's a larger presence than Kuroko's used to and it's with that he's pulled in by something about him. 

He has a sudden urge to draw him.

He walks through the opening of the court and takes a seat on the far corner of the bleaches situated on the side. He pulls out his sketchbook and a pencil he's sharpened almost to a nub. He looks up and sees the basketball curve gracefully through the air to fall into the basket.

"There's no way we can ever win. How can we win against you, Kagami?" Someone groans out.

"Try next time," someone else says, and then there's the booming laugh again and Kuroko leans forward and realizes the one speaking is Kagami.

Kuroko twirls his pencil once and looks at the way Kagami throws his head back when he laughs, his bangs flicking off his forehead. He looks down at his sketchbook and writes Kagami's name in tiny print on the corner. He rubs a thumb over it and looks back up to study him. He's breathing heavily as he plays, his chest heaving with every move when he passes players trying to block him with ease. He pulls up his shirt to wipe the sweat on his forehead and Kuroko feels heat creep up his neck when his eyes follow the movement to land on his toned stomach.

He suddenly feels like a fool drawing Kagami even though it isn't his first time drawing people he's never met. He sketches strangers when he sits outside at his university on sunny days, picking those that have slight quirks he finds interesting. It's good practice but for some reason this feels different, like he's looking at something more intimate.

He's determined though, putting his pencil down to sketch a vague outline of him, running his pencil over the paper in rough strokes.

It's not like Kagami will ever find out about it anyway. He's just a stranger, just like Kuroko is to him.

\--

It then becomes routine to come to the court after his classes to find Kagami and his friends playing basketball every single time. He stays silent most of the time while Kagami plays, pulling out his sketchbook to finish his sketch.

When he looks up after sketching his arm, he sees Kagami glance at him, swiping sweat out of his eyes with his forearm. His pencil freezes on the paper and he blinks, looking down to avoid eye contact. He counts to three and looks in the direction of Kagami but he's playing with his friends again, his laugh carrying through the court. When he smiles, it's like it's contagious because his friends are smiling with him, laughing as they play.

When he shoots a basket and shouts out in happiness afterward, Kuroko finds his smile – and Kagami himself – absolutely deafening.

\--

During the weekend, Kuroko finds his way to Maji Burger to meet with his friends from high school. The location is nostalgic for all of them since it's a place they frequented after school. After graduation, they decided they'd never fully part with it even if it was made mostly of grease and salt that gave them headaches. Kuroko's there for the shakes most of the time. The company is just a given.

He looks around the restaurant and finds the two people he was looking for in the far back. He sees Kise first, talking to Aomine who is looking less uninterested as Kise gets more animated. He sometimes wonders how he's become friends with such different characters but he doesn't complain much because they do keep him occupied and away from trouble even if they're trouble themselves.

Kise is actually the complete opposite of Kuroko, loud and a little obnoxious especially when he gets excited. He likes to drag Kuroko out to shop even if Kuroko isn't entirely concerned with his wardrobe, aiming mostly for comfort. He can get a little flashy when he's out in public because of his model persona, but he is thoughtful and has good intentions when he goes out with Kuroko.

Aomine is a little less loud and a little less obnoxious but very lazy. He remembers a time where he had to help a friend push him out of bed after basketball practice that left him sleeping for what seemed like years. Aomine doesn't have many interests besides basketball and busty females and Kuroko knows even if he doesn't do anything else productive, he at least gets off his ass to play and to meet Kuroko and Kise for food – especially free food.

Even so, he thinks that they'd fit well with Kagami. When he realizes what he's thinking about, he shakes his head to rid him of his laugh, the way he plays basketball, his happy shouts after making baskets – basically _everything_ because he finds it's difficult to escape nowadays.

Kagami is on his mind all the time and he can't seem to stop the recurring thoughts.

He's preoccupied with ridding his thoughts of Kagami when Kise notices his sketchbook in the front of his bag and pulls it out.

"Oh, what's this?" he says, flipping through it until he lands on Kagami. Aomine leans in against Kise's shoulder curiously.

Kuroko is used to Kise's nosiness and doesn't move to take back the sketchbook. He only twitches in annoyance and lowers his eyes to pick up his milkshake, sipping it slowly.

"It's nothing," he says.

"No, Kurokocchi, this isn't nothing. It's really nice isn't it, Aominecchi?" Kise says and leans more into Aomine so he has a better look. 

Kuroko is barely done with his drawing. He's only finished the lineart but he's actually drawn multiple ones, unsatisfied with each one after he finished them. There's always something he feels like he's done wrong when he draws Kagami and it bothers him. There's a general feeling he gets when he looks at Kagami and every time he finishes, he doesn't feel it coming off the page.

Aomine takes the drawing from Kise and peers down at it. 

"Tetsu, we see you draw all the time and it's great but this," he flips through Kuroko's other sketches before falling back to Kagami. "This is really fucking good."

"Like really good," Kise finishes with a mouth full of fries.

Aomine leans forward, wiggling his eyebrows, "Is it someone you've got the hots for?" 

Kuroko takes the sketchbook back and stares pointedly at him. Aomine leans into his chair and crosses his arms, smirking. He's preening because he know he's right about Kuroko's feelings.

But he doesn't even _know_ Kagami. He doesn't know what he does besides basketball. He doesn't know if he has a job or if he goes to school. He doesn't know his favorite music or his favorite books. He doesn't even know if he's seeing someone. _Like that even matters,_ he thinks. 

But he knows it does even if he denies it.

"It's none of your business, Aomine-kun," he says and reaches over to take his sketchbook to place in his bag.

He throws a look at Kise to change the subject, "And Kise-kun, shouldn't you be more worried that someone will take a photo of you looking like that?"

Kise takes another fry from the tray and just smiles. "Lately, my agency has told me that it's okay to look like a slob sometimes. It makes me look like an ordinary person. Like someone people can relate to,” he says.

Aomine sighs. "You're a model, Kise. I don't think you've ever been normal. Plus you're really fucking weird."

"Aominecchi, be nice," he says. "Is that how you talk to the girls you like to sleep around with?"

"Shut _up_. I'm the nicest –" 

Kuroko tunes them out because he thinks he hears a voice he's familiar with but then it fades. He picks up his milkshake, taking a long sip while watching Aomine and Kise bicker. Then he hears it again, much more noticeable and _loud_ and he whips his head around to see Kagami.

He turns away and looks around for a quick getaway out of the restaurant but their favorite spot is in the corner in the back and the only way to get out of the restaurant is to leave in the same area Kagami's in. He's not even sure why he's looking to run and then he understands why because Kise stops talking and gasps loudly, his eyes wide when he looks at Kuroko.

"Kurokocchi," he hisses. "Oh my god, That's _him_. That's the guy you drew."

Kuroko can't help but sigh, but he's still sitting straight, his back tense. 

"Yes, I know, Kise-kun," he says. "Please be a little more quiet."

Aomine cranes his neck to look with Kise and he laughs. His laugh is almost as loud as Kagami's and Kuroko tries to shrink himself into his seat. Aomine notices and looks smug when he looks at him.

"I don't know why you're so worried, Tetsu," he says. "People don't see you most of the time. You should just relax."

Kuroko shrinks closer into his seat regardless and gives them each another look. "You guys are really helpful," he deadpans. Kise grins widely. He's almost out of his seat in excitement when he looks at Kuroko. 

“Oh, Kurokocchi,” he pats him on the shoulder. “We do this because we love you and we care. Don't you feel the same?”

"No, not really,” he says under his breath.

He turns to look back at Kagami who picks up his order. His head is turned away from their direction and he's talking to one of his friends Kuroko recognizes from the basketball court because of the distinct mole on the bottom of his right eye. Kagami's laughing again when he makes a turn to walk to a nearby table and Kuroko twists back in his seat. He tries to disappear because it works effectively almost all the time but it's not working at all now. 

Even though, he thinks he's being ridiculous. Kagami hasn't even met him, let alone get to know his name. He's a complete stranger and yet, he's still acting this way around him. He takes a slow breath and closes his eyes.

"Holy shit," Aomine says, scoffing out a laugh. "He's got like fifty burgers on his tray. And I thought I ate a buttload."

Kise bounces in his seat, "Come on, come on, we have to say hi and tell him about your drawing. Let's do it, Kurokocchi –"

When Kise looks in Kuroko's direction, Kuroko is already gone. He makes a sound and Aomine laughs again.

"Every time," Aomine says.

\--

When Kuroko goes to the basketball court after a stressful day of exams, he pulls out his sketchbook and turns to the page with Kagami. While he's admiring his work, he hears the ball dribbling over and he stares at it for a second before realizing what's going to happen. He's not able to react quickly enough because Kagami is already jogging over, a half-smile on his face. Kuroko's insides twist and he wonders if he can disappear again. No matter how hard he tries this time, he's grudgingly acknowledged it doesn't really work around Kagami.

"Hey, can you pass me the ball?" Kagami calls out, raising a hand.

Kuroko nods, putting his sketchbook aside clumsily with his pencil. "Um," he says and slides off the bleachers to get the ball. "Here.” He throws the ball back.

Kagami nods and bows slightly before turning on his heel but Kuroko sees him stop and turn back around. He stills and watches him, staying silent. Kagami smiles, slow and practiced.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before. Do you come here all the time?"

All the tension seems to pour out of Kuroko and a laugh bubbles up his throat, clenching his stomach. He laughs at the irony – he's been here this whole time and Kagami's finally noticed him and Kuroko hasn't made any effort to even introduce himself yet because of how anxious he feels approaching him. His laugh fades into chuckles and he straightens to look at Kagami who looks awfully confused.

"No, not really," he says. Since Kagami doesn't know, he can lie a little.

"Oh," he bobs his head a few times in understanding. "So, do you like basketball?" 

"I do," he says. He doesn't mention how he likes the way Kagami plays basketball most. Kagami opens his mouth to say something else but someone is calling out his name – the one with the mole – so he stops and starts to walk back, his hands pocketed in his basketball shorts and his head turned towards Kuroko.

"Tatsuya's calling me. Uh, hey, maybe I'll see you again? My name's Kagami." He starts to jog back to the center of the court and faces Kuroko again.

"What's your name?" he yells out.

Kuroko's already walked to his part of the bleachers so he cups his hands around his mouth. "Kuroko," he says loudly. 

Kagami nods again and flashes him a smile. "See you, Kuroko," he says.

Kuroko notes the stomach pangs again and takes out his phone to invite Kise and Aomine out for lunch. He's probably hungry with the way they're prodding his gut.

\--

It then becomes routine for Kuroko to come to the basketball court after his classes, finding Kagami and his friends playing basketball every time. It's not really routine to see Kagami, approaching him when he spots him in the bleachers, waving before sitting next to him.

Kuroko feels himself start to sweat and his heart seems to beat a pace faster than usual when Kagami shifts, sitting closer to Kuroko to make room for someone sitting nearby. But he ignores it because Kagami begins to speak to him, his voice out of breath from playing. He glances at Kuroko's sketchbook and huffs a little before taking a drink from his water bottle.

He licks his lips and Kuroko follows the movement, turning a slight pink but he thinks it's _probably_ good reference to see it, anyway. He feels ashamed to admit he already has a lot of references for Kagami – like how he has smile lines when he starts to talk to Kuroko, or how his eyes border the same color as his hair, or how attentive he seems when he turns his whole body to talk to him.

They sit in silence for a moment while Kagami drinks again. Kuroko speaks first, his voice more quiet than usual and his palms begin to sweat. He wipes them on the sides of his pants.

“What are your favorite movies, Kagami-kun?” he asks.

Kagami chuckles, putting down his water bottle to lean on his palms. Kuroko notes how his posture seems much more relaxed when he's not playing basketball. He doesn't seem as tense and his eyes look softer as he watches the others play.

“I like action movies,” he says. Kuroko doesn't react, remaining straight-faced. He leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees, his sketchbook still placed on his lap.

“Really? I thought you'd like romantic comedies.”

Kagami starts with a laugh then snorts. “Those too.”

“Do you cry during sad parts?”

“No,” he sits straight and his voice stutters. He avoids Kuroko's gaze.

“I see,” he says, turning to watch a complicated play. 

Kagami clears his throat. “I really don't,” he says. “It's really difficult for me to cry, really.”

“Hm, is that so?” he says flatly.

He doesn't press the subject and looks away from Kagami, watching his friends play. Kuroko doesn't understand why Kagami looks incredibly uncomfortable. He's pulling at his shoelaces with his eyebrow furrowed. He actually likes when people are emotional to films. He feels like they're more human – especially if they look as large, tall, and intimidating as Kagami. Aomine did it once and threatened to kill everything Kuroko loves if he ever told anyone. Kuroko has. Multiple times. Kise has too.

"So, uh. I'm gonna change the subject," he pauses to look at Kuroko's sketchbook. "What do you draw?"

"Things," Kuroko says.

"Like?"

 _You, most of the time_ , he thinks. But that's not the right thing to say.

"Trees."

Kagami barks out a laugh, his voice carrying out through the court. He's relaxed again, his position mimicking Kuroko's, his arms outstretched from his knees.

"Well," he says. He looks around at the trees around the court. They're a full green color now, the leaves swaying in the breeze. "I'm sure they are really cool-looking trees like these." He smiles and Kuroko smiles back, feeling a slight flush on his cheeks. He decides it's because the spring sun is bright this time of the year, almost bordering on summer heat.

They sit in comfortable silence afterward, watching the others play basketball. Their yells and shouts drift towards them in small moments.

Kuroko admits to himself how much he likes how close Kagami is sitting next to him, their arms almost touching.

\--

Kuroko stops midway into the basketball court when he sees no one there. He looks up at the sky, the sun isn't blazing and it's only midday. It's the perfect weather to play basketball but Kagami isn't there. He thinks of leaving but raises a shoulder and walks to his part of the bleachers, pushing down the disappointment he feels.

He starts to sketch something else since Kagami isn't there. He even jokingly begins to sketch out a few of the trees lining the perimeter of the court, then the tattered net of the hoop. He stops when he realizes he's been in a daze and looks at his work. He realizes he's begun to sketch Kagami – part of his arm and his whole torso along with a smile that makes Kuroko feel oddly weightless.

He sighs and puts down his pencil to look up at the sky again where clouds pass by the sun in wisps. He tries to sketch some more but always finds himself going back to drawing Kagami. It's with the quiet he thinks drawing Kagami may have been a mistake. There may be a time where Kagami will find the drawing and be disgusted or grossed out. Kuroko's only recently introduced himself to Kagami and he's never even _asked_ for permission to draw him. 

He's different from the strangers he's drawn at school. He's reminded of the intimacy of the drawing, of the way he's looked at Kagami countless times without him seeing.  
 _It's weird after all,_ he thinks.

He can almost picture the way he would look when he tells Kuroko these things. Sometimes he sees his face change on the court, like he's in another mood entirely – an animal about to pounce before he shoots. He recoils at the thought and feels humiliation on the edge of his mind.

But maybe he's thinking too much into it.

He walks out of the court silently when a few high school students come to play, talking excitedly.

\--

**Kise-kun (11:13PM):**  
kurokocchi~ how long has it been??

 **Kurokocchi (11:24PM):**  
A week.

 **Kise-kun (11:25PM):**  
wow, that means when he comes back you can surprise him with a kiss or maybe a hug... ahhhhh that'd be nice

 **Kise-kun (11:25PM):**  
hey, you are gonna see him again right?

 **Kurokocchi (11:30PM):**  
Goodnight, Kise-kun.

\--

Kuroko sits on the bleachers with his sketchbook open to Kagami's sketch when Kagami runs in with his friends, his laugh booming the same way as before. It feels like ages since Kuroko has heard it. He stands up abruptly, forgetting the sketchbook on his lap, and it falls loudly on the concrete. Kagami sees him first, then the sketchbook and runs over, bright-eyed and beaming when he picks it up. Kuroko can't pull the sketchbook away before Kagami's smile begins to fade into a thin line.

Kuroko's heart beats quickly and his insides twist horribly but it's for a completely different feeling than the way Kagami has made him feel before. 

He's done it now – what he's most feared is finally in front of him and he feels sick. Kagami probably thinks he's a creep for drawing him. 

A feeling of dread fills him so he picks up his bag to leave the court but spots the way Kagami's ears begin to turn bright red, matching his hair and his eyes. He realizes it might not be necessary to leave with the way Kagami looks now. Because he recognizes this feeling. It's not disgust. It's either embarrassment or – and Kuroko's heart beats faster again – something else entirely. 

Kagami swallows almost audibly and he's clutching the sketchbook tightly in his hands. "You," he starts, looking at the drawing and back at Kuroko. "You drew me?"

Kuroko nods and clenches his fists. 

Kagami says nothing, only looks back at the drawing and his face turns an even brighter red.

“This is really –,” he begins. Kuroko braces himself, clenching his fists even tighter. 

“Cool,” Kagami says. “Really cool.”

Kuroko unclenches his fists and exhales slowly. 

“Cool,” Kuroko repeats. Kagami nods, swallowing again. 

This isn't what Kuroko expected.

\--

They go to Maji Burger together and Kagami orders his usual twenty burgers while Kuroko orders his usual vanilla milkshake.

When Kuroko picks up his shake to take a drink, he notices Kagami hasn't touched any of his burgers. He's biting his lip, his leg bouncing repeatedly and Kuroko feels like reaching over to still it.

"Kagami-kun," he says. "Are you okay?"

Kagami stops moving, looking serious for a moment before moving his knees again. Kuroko can feel his nervousness. He sees the way Kagami fidgets in his seats, his fingers touching the wrappers of his burgers but never actually picking them up.

"Yeah," he says, finally picking one of the burgers to unwrap it slowly, "I'm just wondering ... why did you draw me?"

When he first saw Kagami, he wanted to draw him because he was drawn with the way he played basketball. He also liked his stature – he stood tall when he would play, a sense of pride that overtook everything else about him in that moment. His hair was nice, too. And his eyes. Kuroko stops his thoughts and then it's his turn to blush a deep red to the tips of his ears.

Kagami notices and leans forward, "Kuroko. Hey, are _you_ okay? You look red in the face.”

He nods and notices Kagami finished five burgers since he's asked his question. 

"You eat a lot, don't you, Kagami-kun?" he asks.

"You're not answering the question, Kuroko,” Kagami says, his mouth full. 

"Just because," he says simply and Kagami bristles at his reply.

"Just because?" he repeats and narrows his eyes. "What does that mean?"

Kuroko shrugs and starts to drink his milkshake while Kagami fumes and chews the remnants of his sixth burger. He can almost hear the gears turning in his head.

\--

The minute Kuroko walks into the basketball court, Kagami runs over to him, giving him a brief hello before picking us his bag. Kuroko watches curiously while Kagami begins to rummage through, pulling out a stray book first then a tangle of cords to reveal headphones. 

"Um, so," he mumbles while he pushes more things around. "I don't know if you noticed but I was gone for a while because I went to America to visit my parents and I kind of – well, I got you something."

He starts to pull out a package wrapped in newspaper and hands it to Kuroko, his face beginning to move through different shades of red. Kuroko decided earlier that week Kagami blushing is the most endearing thing he's ever seen. He's already thought of methods to make him blush again and sometimes, he blushes thinking about them.

He pulls at the edge carefully to unwrap it, finding a box of pencils and pens in a plethora of colors along with a sketchbook – the cover a pliant leather that feels smooth under his palm. He looks at the box then at Kagami who is at his last shade of red.

"Kagami-kun," he says. He smiles and Kagami is beginning to fidget again, looking everywhere else instead of Kuroko.

"Kagami-kun," he says again and Kagami looks down but still moves uncomfortably. "Thank you very much. It's perfect."

Even though Kagami looks embarrassed from a mile away, and Kuroko hears Himuro start to laugh and leer at him, he straightens and looks Kuroko in the eye. 

"Kuroko," he says. "Could you draw me again? This time –" He stops to throw a middle finger and a glare at Himuro to stop. "This time could I pose for you?"

Kuroko almost laughs at the determination pulsing through Kagami but stops because he admires the way he looks and he doesn't speak for a moment to admire the red on the tops of his cheeks. He leans forward, holding the box against his chest, to brush a stray bang out of Kagami's eyes. 

Kagami makes a pained noise like he's choking and Kuroko finally laughs, his lips turning upwards into a soft smile.

"Maybe," he says.

\--

After a week of pushing from Kagami, Kuroko finally relented and accepted the request to draw him. In all honestly and if he could, he would draw Kagami all the time. But he liked the way Kagami pouted and huffed in disappointment after saying he said no the third time. But he also liked the way Kagami's face lit up when he finally said yes. He blurted out his address then wrote it messily on Kuroko's sketchbook and laughed excitedly – almost maniacally.

Kuroko didn't question the way his heart beat when he threw his head back to laugh because it's already painfully obvious why he reacts that way. He knows why and he feels at ease.

It's the early evening and the sky is beginning to mute in colors. Kuroko is walking to Kagami's apartment and his hands shake when he finally arrives to knock on his door. He's tried to stifle the butterflies in his stomach and the dryness in his throat but when Kagami opens his door, smiling at him so easily, he feels all his nerves drain through him.

If he were to say anything by the way Kagami won't stay still when Kuroko starts to draw, Kuroko probably thinks all the nerves he felt before were transferred to him. 

“Stay still, Kagami-kun. If you keep moving, I won't be able to draw correctly,” Kuroko says, pulling out another pencil. He moves his bangs away from his eyes to look at Kagami. He's fidgeting in his seat and keeps pulling at the edge of his basketball shorts. Kuroko's drawing a simple bust but since Kuroko plans to make the drawing more detailed than the first, he needs Kagami to stop _moving_.

He puts down his sketchbook and places his hands on Kagami's bobbing knees. He's so close to Kagami that he can smell his shampoo – and he's not surprised that it's something weirdly fruity. He thinks it's something Kagami probably bought on a whim.

He leans forward, looking up at Kagami.

“Just sit tall and don't move,” he says firmly.

Kagami's mouth is slighty open and there's a hazy look in his eyes. Kuroko tilts his head and is about to say something but Kagami surges forward and his lips are on Kuroko's and the fruity scent is now _all around_ Kuroko and he can't breathe and –

Just like that, Kagami is already out of his seat, almost clawing at the walls at the end of the room six paces from Kuroko. His eyes are unbearably wide.

“Um,” he begins. He's redder than Kuroko has ever seen him. He slides down the wall, and rests his head between his knees. “I'm sorry.”

Kuroko feels himself flushing but he doesn't pay attention to it because Kagami kissed him and he's apologizing for it when all Kuroko wants to do is kiss him again. He doesn't even understand how this happened when just a second ago, he was scared to even knock on Kagami's door. Kagami is clearly more nervous than Kuroko ever was. He laughs quietly at himself.

“Why are you apologizing, Kagami-kun?” he asks. 

“Because,” Kagami says, his voice muffled from between his knees but still distinct and hesitant. “I kissed you. I was nervous for you to come here and I was also scared. And then I went and kissed you and you must _hate_ me because I did it all of a sudden.” 

“Nothing's wrong with that.”

He finally looks up at Kuroko. He's still flushed to his ears and Kuroko smiles. 

“With what?”

Kuroko says nothing and goes to sit back down, placing his sketchbook on his lap. Kagami knits his eyebrows together and pushes himself up from the ground. He walks cautiously towards him.

“With what, Kuroko?” he says again. “With being scared shitless?”

Kuroko would say being scared shitless would almost be one of the qualities he's had when he first met Kagami. He seemed like someone he could never connect to – a stranger, like he used to say. But now he's here, standing in front of him while Kagami mumbles angrily to himself. Their relationship is far from being unfamiliar now. He's even here teasing Kagami and reveling in it because he knows Kagami won't do anything about it. He should probably stop but he knows he probably won't. So Kuroko shakes his head.

Kagami is in front of him now, still flushed but also irritated. His arms are crossed and he's trying to use his height to impose some sort of response in Kuroko but he should know better. Kagami is all bark and no bite. The way he plays basketball is probably the only time he's the most intimidating.

“Then what is it?” he asks.

“This,” Kuroko says and pushes up on his toes to kiss Kagami again.

\--

It takes five tries before Kagami blurts out in front of all his friends at the basketball court for Kuroko to go out with him.

Kuroko already said yes the first try.

\--

Kuroko finally gives Kagami his first drawing along with the second. Kagami takes the first and takes the pencil tucked behind Kuroko's ear, bending over the counter over the drawing. He bites his lip in concentration, covering it with his hand so Kuroko can't see.

“There,” he says, placing the drawing on the fridge and resting his hands on his hips. He looks down at Kuroko triumphantly. “What do you think?”

Kuroko looks at the drawing and back at him, then back at the drawing. Then he laughs, his eyes closing, quiet and sweet.

He pulls Kagami's face closer to place a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

Afterward, Kagami pumps his fists in the air triumphantly and tells Kuroko he's going to make dinner in celebration. For what celebration, Kuroko will never know. It might have something to do with the way Kagami flushes when Kuroko catches him staring at him during the dinner but it's only a lucky guess.

\--

Kagami and Kuroko are watching a movie at Kagami's apartment, their legs propped and splayed on his coffee table while a fan blows lukewarm air over them. It's the middle of a harsh summer, and the air is stifling but Kuroko presses himself next to Kagami while they watch and Kagami doesn't even move an inch when he does.

Kuroko's phone buzzes repeatedly in his pocket and he pulls it out to find messages from both Kise and Aomine.

 **Kise-kun (2:10PM):**  
kurokocchi is kagamicchi going to be naked when you draw him again? please tell me he is. if he is, can you tell me /everything/ please kurokocchi

 **Aomine-kun (2:12PM):**  
kise wont stop talking about the size of kagami's dick can you please shut him up

 **Aomine-kun (2:12PM:**  
like i'd be genuinely worried if my friend wanted to know the size of the dick of the person im banging

 **Kurokocchi (2:13PM):**  
Kise-kun, those are inappropriate questions to ask Kagami-kun. Please stop. Plus, if I ever did draw Kagami naked, I would not tell you. That's none of your business.

 **Tetsu (2:14PM):**  
Are you jealous, Aomine-kun? What _if_ Kagami is well-endowed?

 **Tetsu (2:15PM:)**  
And I've told Kise-kun to stop.

Kagami presses himself closer to him when he shuts down his phone to place it on the table. It buzzes twice right after but he ignores it.

"Who's that?" he yawns loudly before slowly closing his eyes. Kuroko leans his head on his shoulder and sighs heavily.

"Kise-kun and Aomine-kun. They're wondering if you're going to pose naked the next time I draw you," he says.

Kagami jerks his head away and stares at him. "What did you tell him?" he chokes out.

Kuroko smiles – the one Kagami hates because _it's too mysterious and I know you're up for trouble, Kuroko_ – and puts his head on Kagami's shoulder, closing his eyes.

"I said maybe," he says.

He hears murmured swearing before dozing off.

(Behind them, on the corner of Kagami's fridge next to photos of Kagami, his friends, and his family from America, Kuroko's drawing is held up with magnets on each corner except for one on the far right where Kagami's name is. It's smudged and faint now along with Kuroko's initials next to it and a small badly drawn doodle of Kuroko done by Kagami himself.)

**Author's Note:**

> someone said on tumblr that kuroko and kagami would have a really vanilla relationship and i agree! i think they would have the slowest progress but that wouldn't mean it wouldn't be sweet so this is my addition to that headcanon. also this was inspired by [this art](http://biuro-rzeczy-znalezionych.tumblr.com/post/72966662932/by).


End file.
